For 2017, the SOG Trident Folding Karambit Claw Knife was the first target. I got the watch from eBay Malaysia.

This folding knife has a handle length of 127 mm. The blade length is 70 mm. When fully extended, the total length of the knife is 178 mm. At its widest, the knife is 50 mm wide and it has an thickness of 13 mm (excluding the belt clip). The blade is made out of 440 stainless steel with a hardness rating of 54HRC. Meanwhile, the handle material is ABS plastic.

This particular model has the reddish desert camouflage. It comes with a belt clip and the blade is locked in place by a linear lock.

Both sides of the ABS handles are attached to the knife to a metal frame for added rigidity. It has a skeletonised design where the linear lock lever can clearly be seen. There are also four holes in the frame and handles (apart from the large finger ring at the hilt of the knife) to further enhanced the skeleton look of the knife.

Extending the blade can be done by either manipulating the finger tab near the guard; or via the thumb stud at the left side of the ricasso (there is no stud on the opposite side which implies this knife is not ambidextrous - the current design makes it more useful to a right-hander); or just grabbing the blade with two fingers and folding it open.

Note of caution: the blade needs to move at a quick pace so as to get the linear lock to set in place correctly. Moving the blade in position slowly may provide the necessary momentum to the linear lock to catch. Therefore, always make sure the lock is in position before attempting to use the knife.

The karambit is believed to have originated among the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra where, according to folklore, it was inspired by the claws of big cats. It was originally an agricultural implement designed to rake roots, gather threshing and plant rice. It was popular among women who would tie the weapon into their hair to be used in self-defense. Even today, silat practitioners regard it as a feminine weapon.

The karambit is held with the blade pointing downward from the bottom of the fist, usually curving forwards however occasionally backwards. While it is primarily used in a slashing or hooking motion, karambit with a finger ring are also used in a punching motion hitting the opponent with the finger ring. Some karambit are designed to be used in a hammering motion. This flexibility of striking methods is what makes it so useful in self-defense situations. The finger guard makes it difficult to disarm and allows the knife to be maneuvered in the fingers without losing one's grip.